Tennessee is home to more diversity than any other inland state. With more than 300 different species of fish and birds, Tennessee is a conservation success story. What is it about the landscape here that supports so many types of life? Let’s take a closer look at some of the different habitats in Tennessee that support wildlife.
Appalachian Temperate Rainforest
Many people are surprised to learn that the Appalachian Mountains house a temperate rainforest. With more than 60 inches of annual precipitation, parts of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina are home to this rare ecosystem. The spruce-fir forest found in this region plays a critical role in supporting wildlife like whitetail deer, salamanders and amphibians, birds, and snakes.
The Cumberland Plateau
Spanning from northern Alabama into Southern Kentucky, the Cumberland Plateau is the world’s longest expanse of hardwood-forested plateau. The steep gorges of the plateau were formed over hundreds of thousands of years by erosion of the plateau’s edges and now provide shelter and resources for wildlife. These diverse landforms contain niche habitats that support a wide array of biodiversity. The plateau is home to some of the most impressive landforms in Tennessee and hundreds of thousands of acres of public parks, forests, natural areas, and wildlife management areas. Not to mention, several TennGreen-held conservation easements also protect land across the plateau.
Karst Caves and Sinkholes
Karst landscapes are characterized by limestone (or other soluble) soils that have dissolved in water over time to form caves, sinkholes, and other subterranean features. Karst is found in many states, including Florida, New Mexico, and Missouri, and can be found around the world. Karst landscapes cover about 20% of the United States, and their unique geology is part of the reason for the highly diverse population of amphibians and bats across the country. Additionally, karst landscapes play a significant role in watershed management, and major changes can cause hard to predict and significant impacts to water availability and quality.
Highland Rim Oak Forests
The rolling hills of Tenneesse’s western highland rim are home to one of the largest populations of white oak in the world. 
White oak forests are in decline across the U.S., and policymakers are unsure how to prevent them from disappearing. This habitat type is iconic across the eastern U.S., and the white oak is lauded for its wildlife, timber, and carbon value. These forests are home to both timber rattlesnakes and their tiny cousin, the pygmy rattlesnake. White oak forests are considered some of the most critical pollinator habitats in the U.S. and also support large populations of mammals, including porcupines, deer, rabbits, and black bears.
Gulf Coastal Alluvial Plains
You probably don’t think of any part of Tennessee as the “Gulf Coast.” But while there is no longer any oceanfront in Tennessee, much of the western part of the state was at one time a true coastal plain. But there is still plentiful fresh water in the area these days. Both the Hatchie River and Wolf River are considered critical sources of drinking water, as well as essential habitats for fish, terrestrial animals, and plants. The Obion River, Forked Deer River, and Loosahatchie River are some other vital waterways that join the Mississippi river along Tennessee’s western border.